The term EFA stands for essential fatty acids. What makes them so important? Firstly, the word essential means they are vital to our health. Secondly, they cannot be produced by the body and therefore must be obtained directly from our diet. We need fats, but we need to consume the right kinds!

There are 2 main types of essential fatty acids: Omega 3’s (O3) and Omega 6’s (O6).
O3’s help to block allergies, and are potent anti-inflammatories. Some sources include sardines, flax, hemp, walnut, pumpkin, black currant oil, salmon, mackerel and anchovy. O6’s also block allergies and are anti-inflammatory. Sources containing them include sunflower, safflower, sesame, hemp, soy bean, evening primrose oil and borage oil. However, consuming too many O6’s causes the body to convert them to another fatty acid -> Omega 9’s (O9). O9’s are not essential, and in excess, promote allergy and are pro-inflammatory. Sources of O9’s include meat, dairy, olive, peanut and almond. Some of these are also known as saturated fats.

Currently in today’s society, we consume too many O9’s and O6’s and not enough O3’s. In fact, about at least 60% of us are deficient in essential nutrients.

So how much do we need to consume? Our ‘essential’ fat requirements should be approximately 25% of our total daily dietary intake. Ideally, our ratio of O3’s to O6’s should be close to 1:1. These amounts can vary according to one’s health, stress, age, activity level, etc.

What affects EFAs?
Heat, oxygen and light destroy EFAs making them rancid. In addition, these items help promote the production of free radicals. When purchasing EFAs, store them in the freezer prior to use. Once opened, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Buy organic, cold pressed and unrefined oils and look for them in dark bottles in the refrigerated section. Avoid all hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils/fats as they become trans-fats, which are more damaging than saturated fats to the body. In fact they are only one molecule away from plastic.

What if I’m already consuming enough EFAs? It may be possible that you are intolerant to them. In this case, no matter how much you consume, your body will not be able to process them properly. We can test for intolerances to these EFAs and then help to clear you of these deficiency symptoms. For more detailed information, please visit www.noallergiesplease.com.